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Schedule your seminar at www.aeroseminars.com!
"While I am not an engineer or a major technical type, I enjoy the discipline of aerodynamics and was pleased at how Paul was able to explain its intricacies to individuals like me." - Jay Leno, Tonight Show Host

 

January 2006
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Are you building a CSR, DSR, or LMP3?  Are you a manufacturer or even a backyard builder?  Would you like your link included in our Links section?  Pop us a line and we'll hook you up.
1.26.06
>>A few interesting snippets from Mazda's John Doonan.  The Sebring test went well with Guy Cosmo and Raphael Matos doing the testing duties (Jamie Bock is back at University to start the Spring term and will be back for the race).  With the recent addition of former Champion Racing engineer Marcus Haselgrove to the B-K Motorsports team means they have now had time to explore this new relationship and it seems to be gelling nicely .  The Courage C65 chassis will be run at Sebring though John admits, "and we have been sniffing around at multiple other options" in regards to possibly making a change later on in the season.  Roger Mandeville has been called up from the reserves to provide engines for Sebring.  Following Sebring, and for the remainder of the year,  that responsibility will fall to Carlos Lopez's CLR Racing.  Jon ends with, "Based on how good the car sounds echoing down the front straight at Sebring, I think we are going to turn heads and cover ears a ton..."
>>While Audi has been very careful with the images that are released of the R10, this one hints at what is going on at the rear.  Looking past the rat's nest of engine electrics cabling you can just see the rocker arm of the rear suspension.  Note the connecting element at the top of the bellhousing and the bump rubber and we can certainly guess that the R10 can be set up with a third spring arrangement in the rear.
1.25.06
>>Lola's Sam Smith sends these Brooks images of the new Dyson Lola B06/10 testing at Sebring.
A more detailed analysis will come later, but I noticed this very interesting fender/valence panel trailing edge detail.
Of course photographer Regis Lefebure is more interested in the driver...or maybe the pitot tube?  Typical photographer....;0)
Lola LMP1 B06/10 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

REGULATIONS
The Lola B06/10 Sports Car is eligible for the ACO/ LMP1 class at Le Mans, and will also be used in the Le Mans Endurance Series and the American Le Mans Series

MINIMUM WEIGHT
The minimum regulation weight is 925 kg. This will be the target weight for the complete car.

MONOCOQUE
The chassis is constructed from carbon fibre in one piece, with symmetrical twin rollover hoops.

Seatbelts: Sabelt 

Fire extinguisher: SPA

BODYWORK
The bodywork is all new for the revised aero regulations introduced for 2004. 

Construction is pre-preg carbon fibre with honeycomb core in order to stiffen the panels. 

The rear wing and underbody  are also of lightweight carbon composite construction.

FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION
The front and rear uprights are fabricated from aircraft spec steel and TIG welded. 

Both front and rear suspension use double fabricated steel wishbones with pushrods.

Wheel bearings: Timken 

GEARBOX
Lola 6 speed manual sequential units based on proven Champcar and LMP675 technology.

Bespoke bellhousing adaptor depending on the engine installation.

Lightweight magnesium main case casting

Oil cooler.

A semi- auto shift system available as standard.

BRAKE SYSTEM
Hitco Carbon brakes, discs and pads 

AP Racing callipers and master cylinders

Dimensions: Front & rear vented brake discs – 380mm diameter 

ENGINE INSTALLATION
The car will be designed to accept any LMP1 engine according to the customer’s choice, 
currently including AER V8 and Judd GV5.
 
 
 

CLUTCH
AP Racing (team choice)

WHEELS 
Dimensions:
Front 18” diameter x 13.5” wide
Rear 18” diameter x 14.5” wide
 
 

INSTRUMENTATION

Team choice
 

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Team choice bespoke to engine

DMS RT40 12 volt high energy battery 

Starter: Tilton/Bosch

Optional multiple batteries/starters

Two headlights housed in the nose section plus indicators, two rear red brake lights.

ENGINE OIL SYSTEM 
Dry sump with 10 litre oil tank

COOLING SYSTEM
Water radiator(s)

Charge air intercooler for turbo engine

Heat exchanger/Oil cooler dependent on engine choice

FUEL SYSTEM
ATL fuel cell capacity is 90 litres. Regulation fuel capacity is achieved by fitting fuel displacement balls if necessary. Larger tank available for alternative fuelled cars

Fuel pump: Bosch

STEERING
Rack and pinion.

Kyaba power steering as standard
 

Facts and figures

Chief Designer: Julian Sole
Windtunnel hours: 290
CAD hours: 8000
Number of staff dedicated to project: 28

 

1.22.06
>>Creation is aiming for Sebring with their hybrid CA06-H-001 Judd.  Here we see the Judd GV5 installation, a new bellhousing/oil tank has been manufactured for the hybrid.  According to Ian Bickerton via Creation's website, "The new bell housing/oil tank looks the business.  A bit heavier but a lot stiffer.  We can afford to put the weight on anyway."  KWM Motorsports Ltd. is responsible for the car's design and have utilized the wind tunnel model from the Reynard 02S project  (having acquired it outright in September of '05)  to hone the CA06-H-001's shape.  The car will undergo a shakedown in Europe sometime next month and then will be packed up and shipped to Sebring.
1.21.06
>>Courage has released these images of the LMP2 Courage LC75.  Development of the LC75 began in April of 2005.  Primary aerodynamic development was carried out at the ex-Prost Grand Prix now Aero Concepts Engineering wind tunnel in Magny Cours.  Ben Wood, formerly of Reynard and Chief Aerodynamacist on the Reynard 02S (Zytek 04S) is responsible for the LC75's aerodynamics while Paolo Cantone is in his usual role for Courage as Chief Designer.  On January 5, 2006 the car was shakendown on the Maison Blanche circuit and ran for 400 km with no issues.  The LC75 has  a Mecachrome 3.4 liter V8 installed though the chassis can also accept the latest offerings by Judd and AER.  Yves Courage, "With the LC75 a new era starts for Courage as a manufacturer and we are convinced that the LC75 will equalize and even improve the results obtained by its predecessor."

Note the the roll hoop treatment is identical in interpretation as the Audi R10's.  The LC75 will accept any LMP2 engine with installations being currently available for the above mentioned engines.  A semi-automatic paddle shift gear selection system is available though at additional cost.

 
Technical details for the Mecachrome power plant:
Layout: 90° V8
Displacement: 3400 cc
Bore & Stroke: 92 mm x 63.9 mm
Crankshaft height : 96 mm
Center of gravity height: 220mm/bottom floor
Horsepower: 500+ hp at 10,000 rpm
Torque: 273 lb-ft (370Nm) /7,000 rpm
Maximum RPM: 10,500 rpm
Length: 468 mm
Width: 712 mm
Height: 520 mm
Weight: 123 kg
Engine Management: Magneti Marelli Marvel 8

The Mecachrome LMP2 engine is based upon the 4.0 liter engine being used in the GP2 series.

1.10.06
>>News update courtesy of Racecar Engineering magazine and a sneak peak at their March issue.

>>Jonathan Ingram asserts in his RS Spyder article that the funding for the LMP2 comes from no other than Don Panoz, "Officially, the car was commissioned by Porsche Cars North America, but according to a variety of reliable sources with strong connections to Porsche, ALMS founder and pharmaceutical magnate Don Panoz paid for the design of the RS Spyder as part of an effort to boost factory and team participation in his series."  Predictably the American Le Mans Series has issued a denial.  Additionally, while Porsche asserted otherwise at Laguna Seca, it comes to light that the RS does have some basis in the LMP2000...

>>Zytek is working on a 04S successor, the 06S.  Initially intended as a Hybrid, "06S customers will be able to buy an LMP1 upgrade kit for 2007 with new monocoque and nose box."  And that's not all Zytek is up to, they feel they have some unfinished business when it comes to hybrid-electric.  Recall their work on the Panoz Q9 GT1 from 1998...

>>Ian Dawson's Taurus Sports team hopes to be back at Le Mans this year with a further development of their diesel V10 that he first raced in 2004.  Taurus Sports will be renamed groupBio and use bio-diesel supplied by sponsor D1 Oils.  One potential drawback is that the team indicates they are carrying on with their now decidedly ancient Lola B2K/10, converting it to Hybrid specification. 

>>Speaking of diesels, Ricardo Engines has received a grant from the Motorsport Development UK's EEMS initiative which will help jump start their diesel V10 project providing the impetus to develop a test engine (moving it from its current paper project status).

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©Copyright 2006, Michael J. Fuller